SOLID WASTE (TRASH) INVENTORY FOR YOUR FAMILY

Name: ______________________________________________Class: ___________ Date: ________________________ Directions: Complete the tally sheet for the solid waste your family generates, and then complete the questions that follow. After tallying, use scales to mass each category of solid waste materials (*hint* - depending on what kind of scale you have access too, you may need to convert some units) and record the values in the appropriate spaces. Use the Other category for any materials that do not easily fit in those provided. Solid Waste Inventory Tally Sheet 1. Total Plastic = ____________ (mass in grams or kilograms) = ____________ in a year. Item category tally: Plastics Item Number of Pieces Item Number of Pieces Beverage containers/lids = ________ Straws = ________ Food wrappers = ________ Forks/spoons = ________ Non-food wrappers/packaging = ________ Other plastic = ________ (________________________ ) 2. Total Paper = ____________ (mass in grams or kilograms) = ____________ in a year. Item category tally: Paper Item Number of Pieces Item Number of Pieces School-related papers = ________ Store receipts = ________ Pages of newspaper = ________ Mail pieces = ________ Pages of magazines = ________ Pages of catalogs = ________ Paper towels/napkins = ________ Paper bags = ________ Toilet paper (squares of or = ________ Other paper = ________ estimate of) (________________________ ) 3. Total Paperboard/Cardboard = ______ (mass in grams or kg) = _________ in a year. Paperboard/cardboard pieces = _______________ 4. Total Aluminum = ________ (mass in grams or kilograms) = ______________ in a year. Item category tally: Aluminum Item Number of Pieces Item Number of Pieces Cans = ________ Foil = ________ Other Al containers = ________ 5. Total Glass = _________ (mass in grams or kilograms) = ________________ in a year. Item category tally: Glass Item Number of Pieces Item Number of Pieces Bottles = ________ Jars = ________ Other glass = ________ 6. Total Mixed Metals = __________ (mass in grams or kg) = __________ in a year. Assorted tin and other metals = ________ 7. Total Styrofoam = ___________ (mass in grams) = _____________ in a year. Assorted Styrofoam pieces = ________ Totals 1. Total Solid Waste Items for the 1 week inventory period =______ Items. 2. Total Solid Waste Items for 1 year = ______ Items. 3. Total Mass of Solid Waste materials for the 1 week period = ______ kg = ____ lbs. 4. Total Mass of Solid Waste materials for 1 year = ______ kg =______lbs.

Questions 1. Based on your experiment, which type or category of municipal solid waste seems to be the most abundant?

2. Describe three significant and specific environmental impacts that are associated with the life cycle of the material you identified in the question above.

3. If you completed this same solid waste project just for your solid waste, how do you think your inventory would differ in terms of types and amounts of materials you used in a week?

4. How has completing this inventory altered your choices about foods you eat or the items you purchased and used during the last seven days?

5. Which type of solid waste were you and your classmates collecting?

6. Describe two methods used to deal with solid waste.